Chances
by Wavebreeze
Summary: AngiexDerek one shot.  AU.  When Derek asks the new girl, Angie, to tutor him for his biology class, he doesn't expect to find himself in such a complex relationship. Nor does he expect to learn that there is more than determination behind her green eyes


_Author's Note_

This is my first time _publishing _and AngiexDerek story, and I say publishing because I have written various one shots on the pair but have never finished them. Now, however, when I really want to read some AngiexDerek stories and find nothing but Trauma Team (and I don't say that as an insult to TT) I forced myself to write a story about our favorite couple. And, for those who dislike TT, I'm sure you'll be happy to know that there is only one TT character (who is the only one that I like): Gabe.

This is an AU story and takes place in a high school. There aren't a ton of AU stories for Trauma Center so I hope that you enjoy this one, despite its length.

I hope you like it!

~~Wave~~

* * *

**Chances**

* * *

It is only Derek's first day of his junior year of high school and he already knows it is going to be the toughest year of his life. Not only does he have A.P. biology first period, but he also has pre-calculus right after it. There is a reason that his school was originally intended to be a prison, and the architect would be pleased to know that it has served its purpose.

His high school is one of those terribly old brick buildings with tinted windows and a bland interior. The majority of the lockers are dented and only one sink per bathroom actually works. One cannot call themselves a member of Samuel Jackson's High School until they have had a piece of the ceiling fall on them.

This is, however, not new to Derek and his two best friends, Tyler Chase and Gabriel Cunningham, as they walk into A.P. biology for the first time. It is only seven in the morning but the students inside the classroom somehow find the energy to converse loudly amongst themselves. Only Gabe and Derek decide to miss out on the excitement and slump down into metal chairs at the back of the room.

"You guys are so lame," Tyler jibes with a smile on his tanned face and the rising sun casts a warm glow on his wavy blond hair.

"Whatever," Gabe grumbles as he closes his ochre eyes. "I could sleep through this entire class and still beat both of you."

A bit to Derek's dismay, he realizes that this fact is true. At first glance anybody would suspect Gabe to be a slacker due to his uneven stubble and giant mass of unruly green hair. They'd be right, of course, since Derek is sure his friend slept in that wrinkled orange T-shirt and jeans, but Gabe is probably one of the top students in his grade. He's one of those kids who are just naturally smart. Lucky bastard.

"Hey, Victor!" Tyler cheerfully greets a boy with straight black hair that casts a shadow across his pale, almost ghostly face. As usual, he bears an unimpressed frown and a dull look is in his black eyes. He's two years younger than them but they have known each other for years, which probably isn't a good thing to Victor.

Not one for introductions, he ignores Tyler and instantly points out the new girl to them all. His tone is bitter as he explains how, like him, she is a freshman in a junior class.

"So?" Gabe retorts with a cocky smirk as he leans back in his chair and stretches his long legs. Folding his hands behind his head, he states bluntly, "She's hot."

"She only got into this class because her dad was some famous doctor," Victor grumbles while crossing his arms and glaring at the girl from across the room.

"You're just worried that you'll have some competition," Derek jokes with an innocent smile but a mischievous glint sparkles in his deep, chocolate brown eyes.

Victor rolls his eyes and scowls at him. "I bet she'll drop this class quicker than you'll fail it, and that's saying something."

"I'll be impressed if you manage to get a D," Gabe jokes and Derek slumps in his seat because he knows how true all of these statements are.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbles while turning his gaze to the girl they have been talking about for the last minute or so. She is sitting in the front of the room so all he can see of her is her long light blonde hair that cascades over her pink tank top. All the students around her are clumped together and chatting loudly but she remains isolated.

"Aw, we should go talk to her," Tyler muses in his permanent perky voice. "She probably doesn't have any friends in this class."

"Or any in general," Victor sneers.

"You're one to talk," Gabe remarks with a chuckle, but before Victor can proceed into a rant about how nobody is smart enough to be his friend, the teacher calls order to the class and is already arranging assigned seating.

To Tyler's joy and Victor's horror, the two are placed together at the front of the room. Derek is stuck with the boy whose face is constantly covered in angry pimples and who has a tendency to squirm in his seat whenever the teacher calls on him. He is fairly smart but highly unsocial. Thankfully, Gabe is seated right behind him in the back room so he'll have somebody to talk to.

Derek turns around in his seat to chat with him but stops when he notices the girl beside Gabe. From the pink shirt and soft, sun kissed blonde hair he knows her to be the freshman Victor had mentioned. Her face is a perfect heart shape and she has a creamy, flawless complexion, unlike the kid next to him. Her large, pale green eyes refuse to look at anybody and look straight ahead.

She has an emotionless expression but Derek can predict how she is feeling. Anxious, terrified, tired…he experienced all of this his first day of high school. Being in a class full of upperclassmen probably doesn't help her handle the nerves either.

"Hey, I'm Derek," he introduces himself with a crooked grin. Wordlessly she darts her green eyes to him and blinks in surprise. She recovers quickly, however, and replies simply,

"I'm Angie."

"And I'm Chuck Norris," Gabe cuts in with a perfectly serious voice. The girl, Angie, sends him a disbelieving gaze but he just stares right back at her. "Really," he persists. "All my friends call me that. Right, Derek?"

The brunette merely rolls his eyes and laughs. "His name is Gabe," Derek tells her with a friendly grin but her face remains unmoved.

"Nice to meet you," she says with forced civility and falls silent as the teacher starts class. Of course the first thing she says is, "Turn around, Mr. Stiles."

How typical.

* * *

It doesn't take long for Angie's character to show in the class. She answers almost every question and constantly receives praise from the teacher. She never speaks to any of her classmates unless it is necessary and, somehow, she refuses to yell at Gabe whenever he jests with her. To him she is easy pray. She's a freshman, so therefore defenseless, and she is somebody who won't throw a fit over every sexual or idiotic joke that he makes. If she weren't there Gabe would surely be sleeping through the entire course.

At first she annoys Victor, but his vexation subsides after he receives a perfect score on a test and she scores _only_ a 98. Derek suffers his usual 76.

Near the beginning of the year Derek tries to talk to her to make up for Gabe's inconsiderate behavior but she refuses to speak more than one word at a time. She won't even converse with Tyler, who nobody can ever hate, and is therefore considered too prideful by everybody. Even Victor is more entertaining to pester but it doesn't stop Gabe from constantly telling her how terrible freshmen are treated at pep rallies, especially somebody as pretty as her.

Two months into the year and Derek already has a D. Ever since his father died he has been hoping to be a doctor but who can become a doctor when they have a grade as terrible as his? For a while he has been considering getting one of this friends to tutor him but that wouldn't go well. Gabe would just tell him to do what he does: don't pay attention in class, read the chapter the night before an exam, and somehow ace the test. His best friend Tyler has track practice everyday after school and a thousand other activities that keep his schedule booked throughout the week. Derek doesn't have the heart to add another event in his busy life.

Victor is naturally ruled out instantly. Not only would he constantly tell Derek how much of an idiot he is, but he'd also probably tell all of his friends about how Derek needs a freshman to tutor him.

Finding a tutor will be a lot harder than he had planned.

He is still pondering this as the class watches a movie on cell respiration. As usual, he cannot focus in the morning and he listens to Gabe's occasional snore over the monotone voice of the narrator. Halfway through the period and a familiar cracking sound is heard overhead, but nobody takes any notice to it. When the noise grows louder, however, everybody turns in their seats to look as a final crack is released before a piece of the ceiling falls down and hits Angie right on the head. With a startled and pained yelp, she collapses to the floor and the teacher instantly rushes to her favorite student.

"Are you okay, Miss. Thompson?" She asks fretfully as the blonde girl rubs her head and her cheeks turn pink. Somewhere behind her she can hear Victor and a few other kids snickering loudly. Somebody even comments in a bitter tone, "Thank God that bratty freshman got hit on the head. Maybe now she has been bumped down to our social class."

"I-I'm fine," she replies in an unusually quiet voice. Her pale green eyes quickly scan the looks of amused faces around her before she reverts her gaze to the floor.

"Can somebody bring her down to the nurse's office?" The teacher asks in a demanding tone while helping the girl stand up. Derek instantly offers to do it and, with an arm wrapped around her shoulders for support, they exit the room and leave the scornful gazes behind.

The second they enter the hallway Angie instantly extricates herself from his grip and briskly walks away. Her face is flushed and her eyes stare straight ahead; they are almost emotionless but Derek can she the embarrassment in them.

"Hey," he calls out in a gentle voice and easily keeps in pace with her. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she answers with a terse reply as usual.

"Don't worry about it. It happens to everybody," Derek tells her with his friendly smile but she doesn't even look his way.

"You can go back to class. I'm fine," she replies with a hint of shakiness in her voice as they turn the corner and begin walking down the stairs two at a time. Her light blonde hair sways as she practically runs down the steps but his long legs easily stay with her.

"You might have a concussion," he warns but she keeps up her brisk pace and hops down the stairs.

"I'm fine!" She snaps and rushes ahead of him with more speed than he thought her capable of.

Derek is seriously considering turning back if she is going to be so stubborn, but he rejects the idea when he sees her trip over her own feet and tumble down three sets of stairs. She falls to the ground with a gasp of pain and clutches her head again.

"Angie, are you alright?" Derek asks fervently as he rushes to kneel beside her and gently lifts her up into sitting position. Her soft hair hangs around her red face and tears prick at her beautiful green eyes.

"Please," she mumbles while blinking rapidly to hold back the tears. "Just leave me alone."

A pang of sympathy hits him as the water continues to well up in her eyes, but he feels torn between irritation and sympathy. She has no friends in the class and is constantly tormented by Gabe's comments and, though he means no harm, to a freshman surrounded by upperclassmen it is probably uncomfortable for her. And now all of the class has laughed at her when she could have been seriously hurt. It isn't hard to see that her smart mind and prideful demeanor annoy them but that does not justify their insolent behavior.

Another part of him is annoyed with her though. She brought the humiliation upon herself by never trying to befriend the others. He even attempted to chat with her before but she has never reached out to him in return. Are none of them good enough for her?

Yet, as he watches her struggle to refrain from crying, he knows this isn't true. To him she just seems like a scared child lost in an amusement park. She has nobody to rely on but herself.

He wants to take her to the nurse but right now she probably just needs some privacy. Besides, only a few people have received concussions from the falling pieces of plaster.

Bringing her to her feet, he tries to lock eyes with her but she stares at the ground. He soon gives up on the task and just says in a comforting tone, "I'll see you in class later. Feel better, okay?"

He doesn't wait for a response. She can handle herself.

* * *

The following day Derek keeps a close eye on Angie during their class together. Everybody seems to have forgotten the incident yesterday and she looks perfectly at ease. She doesn't even flinch when Gabe falls asleep – yet again – and slides off of his chair in the middle of a lecture from their teacher. If anything that is more embarrassing than her getting hit by the ceiling, but he just laughs it off and manages to talk his way out of a detention.

It is then that the idea pops into his head. Angie is the perfect person to be his tutor! She has the third highest grade in the class (Victor is naturally first, then Tyler, and Gabe would be beating her if he actually completed his homework and participated more) and she will probably never mention it to anybody because she's so reserved. The latter is the major winning point since Derek's friends would never let go of the fact that he needs a freshman to help him with this.

Once class is over Derek manages to slip away from the throng of departing students and chases after Angie. She shields away at first because she's worried about him mentioning yesterday but, much to her surprise, he asks her an entirely different question than she had expected. She is tentative at first, but with his goofy yet charming smile and decorum she finds herself agreeing to it.

That is how she ends up with him in one of the secluded rooms in the school library. It's cramped and the only table in the room is rugged with carvings and graffiti. Sunlight barely pours though the tinted window but it is enough to put a sparkle in his chocolate brown eyes.

To her Derek is trouble. Judging by his grades he doesn't seem like the smartest of people and, more importantly, she has heard from multiple sources that he is the biggest slacker. Various people have told her that he means well and he tries to do the work, but he becomes easily distracted and ends up never doing it. Most people never chastise him for this; however, Angie detests all slackers no matter how attractive they are.

That is the second reason why he is trouble. He has a handsome, well-defined face with smooth, tanned skin. His glasses and button down shirts gives him this nerdy cuteness that Angie has always had a weak spot for. She wouldn't be surprised if he is one of those guys who knows everything about Star Wars, or if he is a computer programming genius.

Unlike most guys in her grade, he has perfect light brown hair with wispy bangs around his face. His body is tall and skinny but his arms are amazing. Never in her life has she thought arms could be attractive but she finds herself impressed by the muscle in them that shows whenever he stretches. He isn't bulging with raw power like body builders, but rather his arms are long and toned. To her they're perfect.

To top it all off he is probably the sweetest guy she has ever met, and that bothers her the most. She may have four years left before going to college but she doesn't want anything that distracts her from her goal, and that includes cute, nerdy, sweet guys who are two years older than her.

An hour three times a week won't be too bad and, besides, she has to give him credit for getting the decency to ask for help when he knows he needs it. From a freshman no less. That is a trait she will let herself admire.

Now they are in the middle of their six tutoring sessions and Derek is losing focus once again.

"Who cares about the Krebs' Cycle," he groans as he gazes longingly through the tinted window and watches a group of girls jogging around the track. "It's all just theory anyways."

"Come on, Derek, we are almost done," Angie urges and holds the text book in front of his face, which effectively blocks his views of the girls' cross country team.

He adjusts his glasses, leans back in his chair, and rubs the his neck. Angie resists the urge to roll her eyes when she sees this all too familiar behavior. He does this every time he tries to get out of reciting a process and she is getting tired of his lack of focus.

"How about we just skip that part for now. We've gone over it a thousand times," he waves it off but she will have none of it.

"Then it should be effortless for you to go over it a thousand and one times," she retorts and Derek slumps forward in his chair. There is no persuading Angie, so he begins to glumly recite the process. He manages to do it after a few minutes and a couple of hints from her, and when he is done she orders him to do it again.

"But I just did it!" He gasps and she shakes her head.

"But it wasn't perfect. The test is tomorrow and if you cannot recite the Krebs' Cycle then you are bound for a seventy," she explains with her piercing green-eyed gaze staring into his tired chocolate eyes.

Frustrated, he begins explaining it again while he regrets asking her to tutor him in the first place. If he knew she was going to be this bossy he probably would have asked Tyler instead.

All of this changes, however, three days later when he receives his test and reads the grade at the top of it. 88. B+. Holy crap.

As soon as class is over Derek rushes after Angie and finds her talking with another girl as she fiddles with her locker combination. Without any warning Derek wraps his strong arms around Angie's waist and effortlessly lifts her and spins her around in a circle. She gasps doesn't even realize what has happened until he puts her back on her feet, grabs her by the shoulders, and cheers happily, "You are amazing, Ang! I will never doubt your skills ever again!"

She only blinks in surprise as her face reddens due to his new nickname for her and the stares of passing students. From behind her, a girl with teal green hair and amber eyes giggles when Angie struggles to form a reply.

"Err…t-thank you," she mumbles and finds herself showing a tiny smile. Even she cannot resist grinning when she sees his jovial attitude.

"Hey, I'm gonna go buy you ice cream or something!" Derek offers excitedly. Glancing past her shoulder and recognizing the girl behind her, he eagerly asks, "You want to come too, Leslie?"

"We can't go out for ice cream," Angie protests before for her friend can even form a reply. "We have to study."

"No we don't. We haven't even started the next chapter yet," Derek reminds her with a chuckle, but his face falls when he sees that stubborn look in her eyes.

"So? We should read the first section and takes notes so that we familiarize ourselves with it for –,"

"Aw, come on, Ang," Derek interrupts her with his charming smile. "Lighten up."

She shakes her head and replies matter-of-factly, "If you want to get an even better grade than that then you're going to have to do everything I say."

Slumping his shoulders and sighing in defeat, Derek surrenders and promises to meet her after school in the library like he always does.

* * *

Weeks pass and still nobody knows that Angie is tutoring Derek. He isn't ashamed of it but he would rather do without his friends' mockery, so whenever they ask him where he is going to after school he lies and says he's attending SAT prep classes.

Angie is difficult for him to understand. He has never been good with the opposite sex but she is probably the trickiest female he has ever met. At first she seems prideful because she refuses to speak to others in the class or give them answers to anything, but she never brags or flaunts her good grades. Derek quickly learns that she is, frankly, an over achiever in _everything_. She never lets him skip out on tutoring sessions even when he is sure that he understands the material completely, but then she throws him a question that is impossible to answer and he is forced to focus again.

His grades come in at a steady B average, which is the best he has done in a while, though that is never good enough for Angie. She congratulates him but never more than a sweet smile and an encouraging nod.

In fact, it is that sweet smile that has made Derek have more than one reason to consistently attend their tutoring sessions. It is an adorable smile that makes her whole stone face exterior melt away and her pale green eyes shine. There is a look of pride and delight, as if helping him brings her the same joy that a doctor receives after saving a patient's life. Ever since the first time she has given him that look he has been dying to see it more and more.

Aside earning good grades, he has been struggling to get closer with her in order to discover what makes her laugh and, thus, make her smile. He has managed to get a few chuckles out of her before but never a rolling-on-the-floor-with-laughter sort of thing. According to his mother, who has an exceptional understanding of others, Angie is probably one of those girls who only acts freely when she feels comfortable. In other words, she's shy, but shy doesn't seem to be the right word for her. To Derek she is more _reserved_. It is as if she has this force field around her that blocks out anybody who will prove a distraction to her perfect grades.

That is why his goal is to get past that force field – to get her to feel comfortable with him. He knows that if they had a better friendship then they could enjoy the tutoring sessions more and he could see her sweet smile much more often.

After only a few weeks and he can already see her stone mask crumbling away bit by bit whenever she teases him (which is done so subtly that he misses it sometimes) or when she waves to him in the hallway after he practically stands in front of her and yells, "Hello!"

And now, after finishing the school day and still beaming from his 89 on his latest test, Derek rushes to the library and manages to catch the blonde girl right before she enters it.

"Angie!" He yells and slides between her and the door. Looking at her, he just grins as he struggles to form words but realizes his mind has gone blank. She is wearing white pants and a dark blue flowing top that drapes gracefully over her thin frame, giving her a surreal appearance. He is becoming more flustered as of late whenever he is around her and it is starting to bother him.

Blinking with confusion, she replies slowly, "Derek…"

"I got an 89," he practically blurts out and immediately feels the heat rush to his face. _God, Derek_. He tells himself with frustration. _You idiot_.

"So I heard," she answers simply and fiddles with the hem of her shirt as she gazes at him expectantly.

"Yeah…" Derek mumbles and, with a deep breath, he begins to regain his confidence. Placing a fist on his hip and standing up tall, he declares, "So we'll be skipping today's session."

Angie instantly shakes her head and responds without any concern for his announcement, "An 89 is good but you can do better –,"

"I had a feeling you'd say that," he grins wickedly at her and she feels her heart skip a beat at the mischievous glint in his gorgeous brown eyes. "But I'm not taking no for an answer."

She opens her mouth to protest but doesn't get a chance to speak. She is stunned to silence when Derek effortlessly sweeps her off her feet and throws her over his shoulder. He immediately begins marching down the hallway with a confident swagger in his step while Angie's face goes red and her limp arms swing with his every move. After a few seconds to recover herself, she struggles to look at him but ends up yelling to the ground, "Derek, put me down _now_!"

"You won't die, Ang, relax," he tells her in a laid back voice that makes her skin prickle.

"Derek…" she warns in a dangerous tone but he hums merrily to himself.

They reach the entrance of the school and a teacher is stationed outside on one of the rundown benches. He's busy grading a stack of papers but it doesn't stop him from noticing the squirming and cursing girl in his student's arm.

"Derek," he says in a tired voice without looking up from his work. "Put the girl down."

"I'll do it in a second," the teenager responds with a wry grin and continues marching out and into the parking lot. The teacher doesn't push the matter any farther.

"Where are you taking me?" Angie snaps as Derek weaves between parked cars.

"Some place fun," he answers cheerfully. "We have time. It's Friday."

"I know it's Friday," she responds bitterly. "And that means we should be working."

Derek doesn't say anymore and Angie only hears the sound of a car door opening and, without any warning, her body is lurched backwards as she is quickly yet gently placed into the passenger seat. With speedy hands Derek rapidly buckles her into the seat and closes the door before she can make an attempt to escape. In the next instant he is beside her in the driver's seat with his hands on the steering wheel. He just stares at her with an excited grin while she crosses her arms and refuses to look at him.

"Come on, Ang, you'll love it," he encourages her but she only shakes her head stubbornly.

"My mother won't approve of this," she admits softly, mostly to herself, but Derek doesn't catch it.

"Just try to have some fun," he tells her as he begins to back out of his parking space. "This is highs school, after all –,"

"If you are taking me to some crazy party with alcohol and drugs then I will call the cops on you!" she suddenly snaps and turns her piercing green gaze to him.

Derek chuckles at the adorable hint of fear in her green eyes. "Calm down," he tries to soothe her again. "I am not like that. And if you must know we are going someplace everybody loves."

"Gee, what a compelling argument," she mumbles sarcastically as Derek speeds out of the parking lot.

"If you really don't want to go then I'll drive you straight home," He tells her in a completely serious tone and pauses at a stop sign. He sends her an honest and somewhat dejected gaze before slowly driving down the road that is lined with lush trees.

Angie turns her pale green eyes to him and watches him carefully maneuver the car around a turn. As she ponders his proposition, she admires how steady his hands are. They never shake and move with perfect ease, as if they own the world.

She hesitates in her reply, but once he glances at her again she sighs in defeat. Curiosity wins again…and it wouldn't hurt to hang out with somebody as kind as Derek, right?

"I want to go," she admits with a subsiding hint of bitterness.

"What was that?" Derek asks, playing stupid and leaning in closer to her with his goofy grin back on his face in an instant.

Amused, she sends him a half smile and repeats a bit louder, "I want to go."

Derek's grin widens and he announces proudly to himself, "I, Derek Stiles, have managed to get the overly diligent Angie Thompson to come have fun. I am the greatest man alive."

And, to his delight, he hears a sweet chuckle escape her lips.

* * *

"Laser tag," Angie repeats for the tenth time with an incredulous tone and dumbfounded look. "Of all places, you take me to laser tag. How old are you?"

"I used to come here all the time with my dad," Derek explains with a small smile and a wistful look in his eyes as he gazes at the small rundown building.

"That doesn't mean taking me to laser tag is going to be fun," she points out but, even though her distaste for this event is evident, Derek is pleased to know that she hasn't turned around yet.

"Well, it's worth a shot, isn't it?" He reminds her as he holds the door open for her and they enter the building together.

The small lobby is crowded with at least two-dozen excited boys that look to be twelve or eleven. Derek and Angie stand out like flowers in a landfill, but that doesn't stop him from signing up for the two-thirty time slot with the children. He doesn't seem to mind the hyperactive children or the strange looks some of the kids give him. Even the horrid smell of the plastic armor doesn't stop Derek from putting it on himself and then easing it over Angie's slender frame. He may not be able to focus in class but he is certainly persistent. A bit to her dismay, they soon enter the arena with the children following at their heels.

The place is pitch black aside from the various neon lights throughout the area. The arena has a strange, poorly constructed space-country theme. It is a maze of plastic stonewalls and hedges with leaves that glow an alien green color. Fake torches line the ring and illuminated veins cover a set of stairs in the back that leads to a second level. The walls of the arena are painted to represent the countryside at night and the paint is chipping. It is about as cheaply built as their school but, by this point, nothing can bring down Derek's high spirits.

As soon as the door closes behind them the children scream and begin running in all directions. They completely ignore the two teenagers and focus on shooting at each other.

"Good luck catching me, Angie," Derek teasingly whispers into her ear and makes her jump. "You're going to need it."

He then rushes into the maze and around a turn, thus disappearing from view. He knows she'll at least follow him after he has threatened her pride and, with a sigh, Angie walks into the maze with her gun held at the ready.

As she goes through the twists and turns she listens to the children's excited battle cries and the incessant sound of shooting lasers. She looks for Derek with as little enthusiasm as possible and just hopes that if she can catch him quickly enough then maybe they can get back to work.

She walks for a few more minutes and bumps into a few kids who shoot at her until their ammo runs out. They rush away with plans to return for more points.

Once they're gone Angie realizes that she is completely lost. She is surrounded by massive plastic stonewalls and she struggles to see through the dim black lighting. This isn't a major issue to her, however, until she hears a continuous stream of beeping close behind her. Spinning around, she recognizes the tall young man to be Derek, and he is standing only a few yards away shooting at her.

"Wow, Angie," He boasts as he continues to hold down the trigger and earn points for himself. "You suck at this game."

"I don't suck at this game," she snaps and places her hands on her hips, oblivious to the damage her score is receiving with each laser that hits her armor. "I'm just not trying right now."

"Sure, that is what all the losers say," Derek continues to tease and her face twists into one of annoyance as determination flashes in her green eyes. He grins. His plan is working.

"I bet I can still beat you," she declares as another kid begins shooting at her back. She turns around and sends him a death glare. It proves effective and the child runs away to attack a more playful opponent.

"Yeah right," Derek laughs in response but stops once he sees Angie sprinting towards him with her gun held out. He yells with both surprise and victory and begins racing down a corridor with Angie hot on his heels. Sprinting, he urges her on, "Catch me if you can, Ang!"

Pride fueling her adrenaline, Angie chases after him with incredible speed and she holds down the trigger in a rough attempt to shoot him. His vest's green lights flash with each hit he takes and a smug smile creases her face. She doesn't know how many points she has now but if she keeps this up she'll be sure to beat him.

But then Derek looks over his shoulder and sends her a cocky grin right before he jumps off of a rock and gracefully throws himself over a stonewall. Stunned, Angie stops short and gapes at the spot where he hurtled the wall. She hears him land with a _thud_ on the other side, which is then followed by his laughter.

"I'm going to find you!" Angie threatens and, to her surprise, finds herself smiling with amusement when she hears a chorus of screaming children from the other side.

"Get him!" They scream and she listens to a surprised yelp come from Derek and a heard of thundering footsteps that belong to the group of children. Angie also begins a frantic search for him but their voices die out and soon all she can hear are yells and beeps from all directions. She takes random turns and holds her gun in prime shooting position. Her breathing is heavy from the exercise, weight of her armor, and the growing intensity of the situation. All thoughts on biology are absent form her mind as she endeavors to hunt down Derek.

She is on the second floor now and has managed to reach the balcony's edge. Looking down, she searches for a tall brunette amongst the maze but only sees a group of kids shooting at each other and a bored employee slumped against the back wall.

She is so focused on the ground below her that she doesn't hear the soft footsteps coming from behind her until it is too late. With a victorious cheer, Derek wraps his strong arms around her waist and twirls her around like he has done only once before. She screams in shock and instinctively starts shooting her gun in random directions. His laughter fills the room as he takes her back into the maze, but he is stopped short when Angie manages to swing her weight to the side. The movement causes Derek to lose his balance and they fall to the ground with startled yells and their bodies knock over a plastic hedge.

As soon as they hit the floor Angie takes up her gun and begins viciously shooting Derek. He, however, has lost his glasses and begins searching blindly for them with his hands. He is completely helpless as his hand aimlessly swats at the ground in hopes that he'll get lucky and find them. Angie doesn't cease her fire and keeps shooting at him with a triumphant grin on her face.

"Angie!" Derek calls out to her even though he is facing the other way. "Can you help me find my glasses please?"

She crawls forward so that she is sitting in front of him and, placing the barrel of her gun to his chest, grins wickedly. "Not until you tell me I'm better than you at laser tag," she orders in a playful strict tone.

Derek chuckles and shakes his head. "Not a chance," he scoffs and continues pawing at the ground.

She fires five shots at his chest and persists more forcefully, "Do it."

Derek just smiles at her with a dazed look in his dark eyes and says easily, "You are better than me at laser tag."

"Good," Angie beams and removes the gun from his chest. "Here are your glasses."

"Thank you, O Great Angie," he jokingly responds and slips them on. Instantly his blurry vision clears to show her beautiful face right in front of his. The black light illuminates her white pants and the emerald stars accent her gorgeous pale green eyes, but best of all is the smile that graces her face. It is sweet, innocent, and full of joy. It's the kind he has been longing to see.

He only gets a few seconds to admire it, though, before a dozen kids suddenly surround them with their guns positioned to shoot. Angie and Derek immediately jump to their feet and he instructs her in an overly dramatic voice, "Quick! Stand back to back! We can take 'em!"

All falls quiet among the group as Angie leans against Derek and his musty scent washes over her. It is a warm, pleasant smell that makes her smile, but her thoughts are soon crushed when a little kid yells, "Attack!"

Instantly a roar of beeps fill the area as a dozen boys begin shooting at them from all sides. Angie and Derek also start firing at the kids and lights flash on both sides constantly. She can feel Derek's chest shake when he laughs and encourages her. "Keep shooting, Angie!" He yells over the din of the firing lasers.

"There are so many of them!" She responds in astonishment yet openly begins to laugh right afterwards. She laughs just because of the pure joy and idiocy she feels when she realizes that they are both shooting lasers at children while standing back to back in a crappy space-country themed arena.

"No shit!" He replies playfully over the noise. "And they never die!"

"They're zombies!" She suddenly yells over dramatically and releases another string of tinkling laughter.

"Run!" Derek screams and snatches her hand. They barrel through a group of screaming children and sprint down a corridor. Their battle cries and thunderous footsteps of the chasing kids fill the room as the two continue to race down the hall.

They spend the last ten minutes of their time in the arena dashing around turns and crouching behind bushes. They shoot at any kids they see and shout about zombies and, to Angie's slight embarrassment, she realizes that they are acting more immature than the stampeding herd of kids.

Once their time is up, Derek and Angie exit the arena and step into bright sunlight. They are breathless as they return their gear and their faces are red from the exhaustion and laughter.

"Now was that so bad?" Derek asks her with his goofy grin as they walk through the parking lot toward his car. She just smiles at him and pushes his gloating face away with the palm of her hand.

"Okay, fine," Angie surrenders while crossing her arms and smiling to herself. "It was fun…but totally immature."

"It's only fun if you can act like a five year old," he tells her as they enter the car. He starts the engine and, right before he begins to back out of his parking space, declares, "Next time, we're doing paintball."

* * *

Weeks pass and Angie remains strict during their study sessions and reserved in class, but she waves to Derek in the halls and laughs at his jokes, even if she is just doing so to be polite. Nobody knows about their friendship, but that changes one day when a group project is announced in class. Instantly Tyler and Gabe huddle up around Derek's desk while Angie remains isolated in the back of the classroom as usual. She plans to wait for the teacher to send her off to some group but this changes when Derek calls for her to join their group and, after a moment of hesitation, she agrees.

As she begins gathering her stuff to move to his table, Gabe leans towards Derek and asks bitterly, "Yo, why did you ask her to be in our group? She won't give us any of the answers."

"Yeah, Derek," Tyler agrees before giving him a chance to speak. "I like how you are trying to include her and all but she won't help us and we'll fail the assignment."

"Relax," Derek whispers. "She's cool."

Angie wordlessly brings a chair up next to Derek and the group begins filling out the worksheet. The three boys shortly debate over each question before they decide on an answer and then move to the next problem. As predicted, Angie does the worksheet by herself.

At one point, the group finds themselves completely stumped on a question. They are about to pick a random answer when Angie's quiet voice stops them.

"It's D," she practically whispers and looks up at them with innocent eyes. Derek sends her a grateful smile while Gabe's and Tyler's faces are stunned.

"What?" Gabe gawks while Tyler blinks in surprise. Angie then quickly explains her reasoning and occasionally glances to Derek for encouragement.

"Oh, that makes sense," Tyler mumbles after she is done and, in a much more bouncy tone, cheers, "Wow. Thanks, Angie!"

They continue to do their work and she becomes more part of the discussions. She doesn't know all of the answers but for the ones she misses the guys manage to make up. As soon as the class is over, Gabe and Tyler drag Derek out to the side of the hallway and corner him into a locker.

"Dude, how did you do it?" Tyler asks eagerly as he and Gabe pin Derek by his shoulders.

"Do what?" Derek gasps while holding back a groan of pain. They both have very strong, uncomfortable grips on him.

"You managed to get Angie to be _friendly_!" Gabe answers in a stunned toned.

"She has always been friendly," Derek responds defensively. "You just haven't gotten to know her enough to understand that she's shy and really focused on her work."

"And _you_ have gotten to know her?" Tyler clarifies while Derek's sighs in defeat.

"Yes," he grumbles and takes a deep breath. "She has been tutoring me for the past few months."

There is a moment of silence as the two guys stare at him with blank looks in their eyes.

"That's it?" Gabe questions with a sense of disappointment.

"Yeah, dude, I was totally expecting something much more scandalous," Tyler confesses carelessly. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Because you'd never let me live it down," Derek blurts out as he becomes frustrated that he has taken annoying precautions in the past to avoid them discovering the truth.

"What? Dude, Angie is smart – maybe even as smart as me – so I wouldn't make fun of you for having good judgment for once in your life and hiring her," Tyler tells him while Derek's face falls in amazement.

"I didn't even know you were embarrassed by this until now," Gabe admits and then sends him his infamous smirk. "But now that I know, I'm never letting this go."

"Maybe I'll even take her to help me study with this semester's exam," Tyler offers with a wicked grin and Derek instantly retorts a little too quickly,

"No way. She's mine."

"Gee, didn't know you were like _that_," Gabe winks at him and he and Tyler start laughing as Derek's face grows red.

"N-no, we aren't," he stutters and squirms underneath his friends' hold.

"It's probably for the best that you keep _all this_ away from her," Tyler comments smugly while gesturing to his body and Derek rolls his eyes.

"How is that 'hot physique' working for Leslie?" Gabe teases Tyler.

"More than your bushy hair is working for Lisa," The blond teenager retorts. Derek is just relieved that the topic has changed and now his two friends begin yet another battle about who is more attractive. Surprisingly, it happens a lot.

Their conversation does, however, remind him of their upcoming finals and he later makes plans with Angie to have an hour of tutoring every day for the next week and even one on Saturday at his home.

The week flies by and the two cram months worth of notes into their minds until they have headaches. They've actually brought Advil to their sessions now so that they can keep going.

And now, in the middle of a Saturday, Derek is driving down a mile long driveway lined with a polished steel fence. The ivory mansion at the end of the road grows larger with every second that passes, and that causes his nerves to increase as well. He has never been to such an enormous house, especially one with thick columns lining the marble steps and German flags that whip the cold December air with every gust of wind. It's the middle of winter but the grass is lush and the garden that borders the perimeter of the mansion is in full bloom. Smoke elegantly curls out of the five chimneys and blends in with the stark gray sky. Crystal clear windows with black shutters cover almost every inch of the mansion's exterior, which almost makes the mansion represent a diamond.

Derek's car eventually comes to a halt in a large stone circle in front of the building and, as he stares at it with awe, he doesn't know what to do next. He feels that stepping out of his car and touching the property with his foot is punishable by law. Thankfully, he sees Angie's slender form pass by one of the first floor's windows and soon the enormous wooden front door opens. She is about to step outside when a woman with light blonde hair stops her. From what Derek can see of her he figures her to be Angie's mother, and his heart drops when he sees her gesturing her daughter back inside.

Inside, Angie suppresses an irritated groan when her mother instructs her to _wait a moment_. This is code for _stop what you are doing and listen to another unnecessarily long lecture._

"Where are you going?" the woman asks in a strident tone and stares at her daughter with a piercing green gaze. Her face is wrinkled and covered with various shades of make up. Her bun is so tight that it pulls at her skin and raises her thin eyebrows. She has a slim figure that is constantly dressed in unflattering business suits and tight pencil skirts. Her black high heels give her an extra four inches so she gets to look down at Angie with her emotionless dark emerald eyes.

"I told you a few days ago," Angie manages to say in a civil tone while she buttons up her black coat and refuses to look at her mother. "I'm going to help my friend study for our biology exam on Monday." Mrs. Thompson ignores the comment, however, and crosses her arms as a frown tugs at her thin red lips.

"You have been studying all week with that boy, and don't you have a history exam on Monday too?" She reminds her daughter with a twitch of her waxed eyebrow.

"Yes," Angie admits and barely represses her annoyance. She focuses her glare on the spotless marble floor and gazes at her own reflection. Everything around her is either ornate, silver, gold, or all three, and it is all overly expensive and ridiculous to Angie. The chandelier was exported from France and the hand woven rug came from India. The maids are from Spain and the colorful orchids are from China. The vases are from Germany and the oil paintings from Italy. Everything around her is foreign and strange to her, including her mother's reasoning.

"Then why do you have to go with him for the sixth day in a row?" Mrs. Thompson inquires in a sour voice and Angie somehow manages to keep an emotionless face.

Snapping her pale green eyes to meet her mother's gaze, the girl replies strongly, "I made a promise to help him and I'm sticking to that promise. I have been studying for all my other exams throughout the week so you don't have to worry about that."

Her mother just shakes her head and mumbles, "Angela, Angela, Angela…" while she takes slow steps around the foyer. The clicking of her high heels hitting the marble floor echoes throughout the room and she begins yet another lecture.

Holding her head high, she explains with a powerful air in her tone, "It is important to help others, Angela, but you cannot let yourself fully care for somebody. Your feelings for them will distract you from what is truly important and you cannot afford any distractions right now. And one day he will hurt you – intentionally or not – and you will be broken with grief. And once you are done with your lamentations, you will wish you had never cared for anybody but yourself."

She walks up to Angie and places a hand on her daughter's shoulders. A gentle smile crease her wrinkled face but the joy doesn't reach her dull green eyes as she says in a soft voice, "If you ever want to get anywhere in this world you must detach yourself from your feelings. Your father made me learn my lesson and now I am passing this on to you so that you will never have to experience the same hurt that I have dealt with."

Angie has heard this speech many times before and she usually understands what her mother means, but this time it's difference. Perhaps she has been spending too much time with Derek, but she finds herself shocked and disgusted at her mother's lack of compassion. She cannot form any words and can only think of her father. Her mother likes to think she is the only one who was affected by Blackwell's disappearance but she always forgets about her daughter. Always.

"Now you can go with this boy," her mother tells in such an obviously fake sweet tone that it nauseates Angie. "But just think about what I have told you, Angela."

The girl nods mutely as the inconsiderate words float around in her brain. She can feel her mother's intimidating stare burning into her, testing her to disobey her silent orders. Testing. She is always testing her daughter's loyalty. And for what? So that she can use her daughter just like she has used everybody else around her? Angie often wonders whether or not her mother even cares for her own child.

No longer able to handle being in her mother's presence and with an increasing frustration building up inside of her, Angie wordlessly spins on her heels and walks out the door into the crisp winter air. She closes the door on her mother's astonished expression with slight satisfaction.

As she quickly walks towards the familiar run down car, she tries to suppress the alarming sense of sorrow that is rushing into her. She hopes that Derek won't notice anything wrong about her but as soon as she slips into the passenger seat he asks, "What's wrong?"

"Just drive," she orders and he instantly obeys without question. There is always a time and place to push Angie for answers, and, judging by the strange look in her eyes, now is not that time.

The ride to Derek's house is completely silent. They leave the upscale part of town, drive through main-street, and make their way into a dense forest in just a matter of minutes. They don't stop until Derek pulls the car into a short driveway that belongs to a small house. It is a pale yellow bungalow with maroon trimming and it is surrounded by thick trees and over grown hedges. Compared to Angie's home it is down right pathetic, but there is a welcoming air about it that her mansion doesn't have. Still quiet, the two teenagers walk through the garage and into the petite building.

Upon entrance, the smell of cookies instantly assail Angie's nose and warmth tackles her in a powerful embrace. She hears the sound of a television in the distance and somebody humming up ahead. They walk down the short corridor and into the kitchen where a woman with curly brown hair and vivid blue eyes is arranging a batch of cookies into an orderly stack. A red apron covers her white dress and her feet are bare even though it is winter outside.

"Hey, Mom," Derek greets her and her smooth face instantly lights up at their arrival.

"Hey, honey!" She responds cheerfully and instantly embraces her son in a quick hug. She then notices Angie and her grin widens tremendously.

"You must be Angie Thompson!" She chirps while rushing over to her. Angie puts her hand out but receives a hug rather than a handshake.

"H-hello, Mrs. Stiles," the girl stutters and even the overly affectionate woman cannot obliterate the hint of sadness in her tone. Thankfully, Derek's mother is too energetic to notice such a thing.

"It's so great to meet you," the woman eagerly states and she untwines herself from the girl. She has the same fiercely happy grin as Derek as she offers, "Do you want some cookies? I just made them. Or would you rather want something to drink? Have you had lunch yet? I can make something for you if you like -,"

"That's okay, Mom," Derek kindly interjects. "We'll just be working in the study."

"The study?" She echoes with disbelief. "That place is a mess. You should go somewhere else like…over there – no…" she trails off as she looks around the room and notices all the clutter across the kitchen table and the family room. The place is a disorganized mess filled with papers and empty plates and cups. Derek's textbooks are scattered across the table and an orange tabby cat is curled up in a large serving dish.

Derek laughs it off and comforts his flustered mother, "I'll clean it up later. The place looks great."

She sends her son a grateful smile and the two teenagers head off to a separate room. It is a small square space with deep crimson walls and a large window that lets in the gray light from outside. The only table is cluttered with letters and boxes but Derek quickly clears it off so that the two have space to place all of their stuff.

As he does this, Angie spots a picture frame lying on the floor amongst the ruble of papers. He doesn't notice her picking it up, nor does he notice the tears forming in her eyes as she stares at it. She wants to look away but it is impossible for her to do so. It is as if she believes that if she can look at it long enough then she will be sucked into the moment and stay in that joyous time forever.

Her mother's words still ring in her head and Derek's carefree home only highlights how insane her life is at home. Why do two people need a mansion, and why does her mother spend so much money on the most unnecessary objects that don't even make their home any better? It's still cold and constantly quiet, just like her mother's personality. In order to escape the pain from her husband's abandonment she has become cold and reserved, and it isn't until now that Angie realizes that her mother's unflattering traits have been passed on to her. The thought causes regret and grief to rise up inside of her, and the picture in her hand reminds her too much of her father. One day they woke up and he just wasn't there. Everything about him was gone: clothes, pictures, and his life's work…. The day he left was the day that her house and its inhabitants turned to ice.

"So what should we go over first…. Angie?" Derek's concerned voice interrupts her train of thought. He says her name again in a whisper when he notices the tears sliding down her cheeks. Her hand covers her mouth and her shoulders shake as she stares at the picture.

He walks behind her and peers over her shoulder to see the image. It is a photo of him when he was just a little boy and he is lying in bed beside his father. The two are expressing the same lopsided grin and they both wear askew glasses. Derek used to shed a tear or two over this picture after his father's death but it doesn't explain why it has Angie sobbing.

He gently places his hands on her shoulders and inquires in a soft voice, "What's wrong, Angie?"

She just stubbornly shakes her head and shakily places the picture back on the desk. Derek turns her around and cups her face in his hand. Her eyes are squeezed shut and she bites her lips in a futile effort to stop the tears from trailing down her face.

"Hey, it's okay," he tries to console her in a voice that is barely above a breath. "Everything is okay."

"Don't be so naïve, Derek," she rebukes him in a surprisingly bitter voice and snaps her pale green eyes open. There is deep sorrow and pain in them but it doesn't stop her from speaking in a strong voice. "Leslie told me about your father…" she states simply.

"Don't worry about that," He tries to comfort her again but there is an anger that flashes across her eyes that makes Derek pause.

"Try telling my mother that," she snaps but it sounds more like she is addressing herself more than him. Sniveling, she takes a step away from him and wipes the tears away. "T-try telling her that if your mother can recover after losing the love of her life than she should be able too. S-she shouldn't be acting this way…"

Angie turns away from Derek so that her hair hides her flushed face. In a careful voice, he asks softly, "What did your mother say to you, Angie?"

She spins back around with her eyes squeezed shut again and leans against the wall. With a shaky breath, Angie ignores his question and begins to explain through her choking sobs, "My father disappeared when I was very young and it hurt all of us. I rarely saw or spoke to h-him but I still cried when he left. A-and yet my mother acts like she is the only victim through all of this and it has changed her for the worse."

Her face is flushed and her hands are curled into fists. Years of built up frustration and fury toward her mother's fastidious and selfish attitude pours out like the dam has finally been broken. There is anger towards all the people who she used to look up to but have now betrayed her. Her mother, her father…even herself. Hot, angry tears stream down her face in torrents as she begins to glibly vent all of these confused and mixed up feelings to nobody in particular.

"She's the most selfish person in the world and I'm surprised that she still has the _compassion_ to warn me against caring for others," she begins viciously as her vision is blurred with the water of her tears. "But that is probably just so I can stay focused and get into a good college and run a successful life, so that she can brag to all her country club friends how _well_ she raised me. The worst part, though, is that I have been following her orders all this time!" Angie shouts while Derek just stares at her with a dumbfounded and concern look creasing his face.

She then begins pacing in the short space she has and tears continue to stream down her face as she confesses rapidly, "I've never let myself get close to anyone because she always warns me that they'll ruin me. But so what if they do ruin me? Is it better to suffer for a while but have enjoyed love and friendship than to be isolated in the back corner of the room?

"And then you came along and spun everything around," she keeps going on uncontrollably and Derek is sure she is talking to herself more than him. The tears seem to slowly subside but the confusion, sorrow, and aggravation is still there as she rambles, "Maybe if you came earlier in my life nothing would have changed – it is like the perfect timing thing, you know? No, you probably don't understand what I'm talking about but it's so bizarre how I've always had these walls and then you somehow find your way past it. We spend so much time together that even my mother is worried! And she's never worried about anything but herself! Somehow you got me to care a-and now…"

"Angie, calm down," Derek orders in a gentle yet strict tone and stops her frantic pacing by placing his steady hands on her shoulders. She stares at him with shock at the amount of confessing she has just done but that doesn't seem to bother him.

With soft fingers he brushes away one of her tears and his hand rests against her cheek. The affection in his actions makes her breath hitch in her throat and her heart skip a beat. For a second she cannot even remember what has caused her ranting. He then sends her a warm, comforting smile before slipping his hand into hers.

"Come on," he tells her in a soothing voice while her body is still shaking and a few remaining tears drip down her face. "Let's get out of here."

Derek quickly takes her back to the car and instantly begins driving away from his house. For the first time Angie doesn't even ask where they are going and just focuses on regaining her composure before doing anything else. Aside from her occasional sniffle, the car ride is silent.

They eventually pull into a Starbucks where Derek expertly parks the car. He then instructs her to stay there while he goes inside.

During his absence she brings her knees up to her chest and just takes deep breaths. Her anger has subsided and all that she has now is embarrassment for everything she said. It spilled out like a flood and she is lucky that Derek stopped her when she did. If he hadn't she would have revealed her true feelings to him and that would make everything so much worse. She's only a freshman and he's a junior. He's sweet and loveable while she shields away from people and allows her pride to rule her actions. He could never share the same feelings that she does.

He soon returns with two Styrofoam cups and she accepts hers with a mute nod and takes a tiny, tentative sip. The hot chocolate warms her body and relaxes her muscles. She releases a sigh and then the car falls to silence again.

Nobody says a word for five minutes and they both simply get lost in thought while they drink their beverages. Derek \ finishes his coffee rather quickly, however, and turns his worried brown eyes to her. She refuses to look at him but he asks nevertheless, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," she admits in a stable voice and stares at her drink that she clutches in her pale, small hands. "Sorry I flipped out on you back there."

"It's alright," he assures her and an awkward pause falls over them once again. Twisting around in his seat so that he is facing her, Derek inquires, "Do you want to talk about it."

Angie shakes her head. "There isn't much to talk about."

"It doesn't seem that way from what you said back there," he responds and another pang of regret hits Angie. She doesn't say a word and fiddles with the hem of her coat.

"You should talk to your mom," Derek advises her once he realizes she won't respond, but she releases a bitter laughter and shakes her head.

"She's too far gone, Derek. She can't think past anybody but herself."

"You should give her a chance," he protests in an innocent voice. Angie opens her mouth to respond but he speaks before she can. "I gave you a chance to be my tutor and you gave me a chance when I took you to laser tag. Those things both turned out great, so maybe this will too."

She sends him a half hearted smile and whispers, "You're exactly the kind of person my mother loathes. You see the best in everyone while she sees nothing but inevitable pain."

"I don't know your mother so I can't make any solid opinions," he explains. "Though I do know that I can't be completely enraged with her. If she hadn't allowed you to come to public school rather than a private one, I would have never met you."

The adorable grin he sends her makes her aching heart melt, and the sweet smile that he loves graces her face. The sorrow in her eye fades a tiny bit and she just whispers in reply, "You're too nice."

"And you're stronger than you realize," he says with confidence and a sparkle in his chocolate brown eyes. "If you can put up with Gabe's comments and my lack of focus then I know you can confront your mom."

All she does is smile and look at him with her big, pale green eyes. It is enough to make his heart lurch out for her and, without thought, he stretches his long arm across the space between them and tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She blinks in surprise and a red tint fills her pale cheeks.

"Y-you really think I can…?" she asks breathlessly when she realizes his hand won't move away from her face.

His smile widens and his glasses catch the light when he nods.

"You're one of the strongest people I know," he confesses while his thumb wipes away the remaining wetness from her face. "You are a freshman in a junior class, after all."

"Victor is like that too," she protests weakly as her heart pounds in her ears.

"Yeah," Derek agrees simply. There is this confidence in his tone that makes Angie's hands sweat and her breathing shallow; however, these feelings soon come to a surprised halt when he adds with his goofy grin plastered across his face, "But Victor isn't the one I love."

Angie is stunned to the point where she feels that she cannot even breathe anymore. Maybe she would have had more time to register what is happening if Derek hadn't closed the space between them and pressed his soft lips against hers.

His kiss, though short, leaves her mind buzzing with incoherent thoughts and her body limp. She is numb with shock and blithe as his lips gently play with hers and his hand caresses her face.

Derek moves his head from her and releases a small chuckle at her dumbfounded yet joyful expression. Feeling triumphant, he turns back to the front of the car and starts it up again.

"W-where are we going?" She asks in a daze and feels slightly disappointed when he doesn't kiss her again.

"You can get another kiss once you give your mother a chance," he tells her with a victorious grin. Angie can only lean back in her seat and release a deep breath as they begin to drive back to her house. Both are too overwhelmed with their own thoughts to say a word.

As instructed, Angie sits down with her mother and explains her feelings in a civil manner. Mrs. Thompson is silent and stone faced throughout her daughter's confession and, once Angie has finished, the woman gets up and leaves without a word. Angie stays strong, however, and her strength fuels off of Derek's constant encouragement. The following day she catches her mother at breakfast and for the first time they really talk. As in _really_ talk. It is stiff and awkward but the main points get across. Her mother's neglect and careless attitude are addressed, along with Angie's newfound feelings for a certain brown-eyed, glasses-wearing, goofy-grinning teenager.

Their ruptured relationship is nowhere near being repaired but it is a step in the right direction. In fact, ever since she has met Derek everything has been a step in the right direction.

"It's funny," she tells him with a smile after expressing these thoughts to him. "We only ever seem to do something right when we are helping each other out. I think we'd be a mess if we weren't constantly involved in each other's problems."

"We should make a pact," Derek decides with excitement filling up his chocolate eyes as they always do whenever he thinks about the future. "I promise that when you become a world famous surgeon I will be your loyal assistant," he states proudly and Angie releases a tinkling laugh.

"What if it is the other way around? Besides, do you really want to be a murse?" She offers the idea with amusement in her tone. Thankfully, Derek is flexible.

"Fine. Let's just say that if one of us becomes a famous surgeon then the other will be there to help because apparently we are clueless without each other."

"We sound like five year olds," Angie points out as Derek wraps an arm around her waist as they walk through one of their school's thickly crowded hallways.

"Good, because I forgot to tell you something."

"What is it…?" Angie asks suspiciously when she hears the smugness in his voice.

"I signed us up for paintball."

Silence.

"Of course you did."

* * *

_Author's Note_

Congratulations! You just read 21 pages! :D Unfortunately, I'm not terribly proud of this story because the writing is just…meh. I've been in a slump for the past few months after I finished my chaptered story and I really just needed to write again to refresh myself. Even though, I do hope you enjoyed it!

I always love feedback, even if it is just a few words to say hello or an essay worth of stuff pointing out all the errors in my writing. Constructive criticism is awesome and I love reviews!

Thanks for reading!

~~Wave~~


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